Today's Lesson: "Rope-a-Dope"

[Rosco T.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope_a_dope

Rope-a-dope

Rope-a-dope is a boxing fighting style used most famously by Muhammad Ali (who coined the term) in the Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman.

Technique

The rope a dope is performed by a boxer assuming a protected stance, in Ali's classic pose, lying against the ropes, and allowing their opponent to hit them in the hope that the opponent will become tired and make mistakes which the boxer can exploit in a counter attack.

Rope-a-dope is also commonly used to describe strategies in areas other than boxing, where one party purposely puts itself in what appears to be a losing position, and then becomes the eventual victor.

Origin of the term

Ali had used the style of leaning on the ropes in a handful of his previous fights, most famously in his first fight with Joe Frazier where Frazier landed heavy blows to Ali. This seemed to further demonstrate that lying on the ropes was a bad thing, and could only harm the fighter who tried it.

This did not discourage Ali from using this strategy against George Foreman. Foreman was a harder puncher than Frazier, and many felt Ali would have to stay away from Foreman in order to beat him. Ali instead started to lie on the ropes towards the end of the 1st round, and used the ropes throughout the rest of the fight. Foreman's strategy for the fight was to cut off the ring and get Ali to the ropes so that he could hit Ali and try to knock him out, so since Ali was willingly lying on the ropes Foreman would plant himself in front of Ali and punch Ali as hard as he could. Foreman landed constant blows to the body, but had trouble landing punches to the head. Foreman began to tire from all the punches he threw at Ali to no effect, and with the punches he was taking from Ali, Foreman was visibly exhausted by the 5th round. Ali eventually knocked him out in the 8th round. Ali had regained the World Heavyweight Championship with this strategy of lying on the ropes, and allowed one of the hardest punchers of all time to swing away at him.

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Watch and Learn. That is All.

[truthisfreedom]

1. John can hardly lift his hands above his waist anymore. Palin is a single-celled organism.

Rope-a-dope is something Obama's using against ®ove. And ®ove is completely out of ©oncepts.

[Frank Cannon]

2. Ali was at Obama's nomination acceptance speech

I think his presence sent a subtle signal to all Obama supporters who are also fans of The Greatest.